Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to speak about the need to develop and expand our research capacity and knowledge on northern climate change. The Northwest Territories is on the front lines of climate change and if Northerners are to successfully adapt to these changes, we need to understand it and how to apply this knowledge to our everyday lives.

The Yukon government has taken a proactive approach to better understanding these changes and impacts. It was recently announced that it will fund the Yukon Research of Excellence. The mandate of the research centre is to develop, coordinate, and support leading edge research on climate change adaptation for the Yukon. It is also supporting the Yukon Cold Climate Innovation Centre, which will focus on the development of viable business opportunities related to cold climate technologies.

I believe we need to make similar investments in this type of research and take a proactive approach

to climate change adaptations and innovative technologies in the NWT. It will help us better understand what changes are occurring as a result of climate change. What can be done to adapt to these changes and potentially develop made-in-the-North, made-in-the-NWT solutions?

We have a number of organizations that are committed to climate change work in the NWT. They include the Arctic Energy Alliance, Ecology North, and the Aurora Research Institute. An investment in these types of research moves us closer to our goals of a greener, more sufficient Territory.

The old saying used to be that climate change was on our doorstep. I’m going to say that story is no longer. Climate change is like an unwanted visitor who is on my couch and not going away.

I would have to say the world is hungry for this type of urgent information. I encourage the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources to reach out to the federal government and our many partners to help create and establish a centre of excellence here in the Northwest Territories, a climate change research centre. This is an institute that could be good for all.